Anything Goes at Aurora Wings

WooHoo!  A new challenge starts today at Aurora Wings with everyone's favorite theme,

I've created an easel card using Steampunk Angel available HERE on AuroraWing.com and a new die from Crafter's Companion.  My photo box is still packed away in the attic since our July 4th party so I photographed my project in front of a clock my Daddy made that sits on the desk in that guest room.  The wooden casing he made is not evident in the pic and the glass door is ajar to eliminate some of the glare but it's still one of my most treasured possessions from him.  He was an engineer, artist and meticulous craftsman and this was one of the last things he was able to create before Alzheimer's took it's tole.

Here's a closeup of Steampunk Angel.  She's colored with Copics and metallic gold and silver gel pens and also available as a 2-pack with Steampunk Owl HERE on Etsy.  My original plan was to use them both, but the size required to fit them both in was beyond my eyesight capability to color them decently. Oh yeah, I also gave her some fishnet stockings with my fine point pen. Hee, hee! You can also see here the intricacy of the die overlay, which was not the easiest to cut, and the metal gears and clock hands I've added from Tim Holtz.

The sentiment was computer generated and cut and matted using a Spellbinders Labels Four.  All were inked with Distress and popped with foam.  The metal wings and all metal gears are also Tim Holtz.

Please check out the fabulous creations by my Aurora Teammates and come play along.  Up to THREE creations if ALL are Aurora Wings but only ONE if not.

Here's how to keep up with all that's happening at Aurora Wings.

Aurora Wings Challenge Blog (current challenge runs through August 18th)

Aurora Wings Showcase Blog

Aurora Wings Etsy Shop

Aurora Wings Digi Shop 

Aurora Wings FB Group 

Aurora Wings FB Fan Page

I'm entering this in the DL.Art July Linky challenge, Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #86 AG, The Outlawz Festive Fridays Birthday theme, The Corrosive Challenge #7 July AG, C4C443 Shaped Cards, Colour Crazy Challenge Week 28 AG, Crafting With Friends #71 AG, Creative Fingers #150 AG, Jo's Scrap Shack FFC#242 AG, Simply Papercraft #59 AG, Crafting by Designs AG, Dies R Us #101 Birthdays, the World Wide Design Team Open #07 AG (7/15-8/12)... 

Steampunk Silly

I'm a bit behind in playing in some challenges due to some (semi) surprise house guests and am trying to catch up by doing a bit of combining.  First of all, the Steampunk Silly contest runs through May 19th on the Sandra Caldwell Stamp Fans FB Group with 6 Steampunk images currently discounted in Sandra's Etsy Shop HERE.  Although I hope to do more, my first entry is with #1541 Steampunk Kitty Max , not only because I love kitties, but also because I had a kitty named Max who has crossed over the rainbow bridge.  He's colored with Copics with some gold and silver gel pen.  The fab hardware is Tim Holtz. Thought maybe a 12 year old boy might think this was a cool birthday card and the numbers worked well for the sketch detail.

I've used the sketch from this past week's Outlawz Sketch challenge (which ends today) and also made it masculine (sort of goes without saying in this case, eh?) for the Outlawz Saturday Paper Ala Mode and a birthday card for the MAY SUYP (cat's only) Furrything Goes/Birthday challenge.

I'm also entering this in the DL.Art May Linky Challenge, 2 Crafty Critter Crazies May AG/with animals, Crafty Hazelnut's May Patterned Paper Challenge, Pile it On #130 Animals, Crafty Animals AG, and My Time to Craft Masculine.

Steampunk Easter Bunny and Grand Opening of LeighSBDesigns

I'm so thrilled for my friend Leigh Snaith-Brunton, artist extraordinaire, who just launched her own Etsy shop of exclusive stamps yesterday and is celebrating with a Grand Opening.   I rushed to her Shop and immediately purchased her first stamp, Whimsical Steampunk Easter Bunny, at an introductory price through April 16th.  Every 3 days or so, Leigh will be adding her designs one at a time for the special price until her shop is complete.  WooHoo!  I've colored Stampunk Easter Bunny with Copics and metallic gel pens, cut him out with a Spellbinders Labels Seventeen and inked it with Distress whaile he was still in the die.  The Steampunk digi papers are from Bearly Mine which closed in Jan 2015 because of the EU VAT laws.  So sad.

Now did I mention a Grand Opening?  You betcha, and there are Freebies to be had.  You can read all about it HERE, on the LeighSBDesigns Inspiration Blog. Join her new FB Fan Group and come join the fun.

I'm entering this in the DL.Art April Linky Challenge, the Outlawz Monday Greetings Easter Celebration,  Crafty Catz #366 AG/Animals (2/3), Simply Papercraft AG, Creative Moments #115 AG/Easter, Inspiration Destination #126 AG, Cards 4 Guys Animal Antics, Creative Fingers #128, Simon Says Wednesday Color Inspiration and 2 Crafty Critter Crazies #1 (5/5). 

SCACD Brave Hearts and Eclectic 2 Rubber Stamp Release Blog Hop

Today SCACD celebrates 2 NEW recently released exclusive rubber stamp sets. They are the Brave Hearts (a group of 4 empowered gals) and Eclectic 2 (a combo of 6 steampunk and ethereal stamps).  With the Eclectic 2 collection, if you buy the entire set, you get 4 FREE date stamp words.  SCACD artist, Carmen Medlin, and Susana collaborated on these images and we're so happy to be showcasing them to you now. :D

They're available for purchase in the USA HERE. (for the Brave hearts and Eclectic 2 sets).

Our international friends can purchase them from Quixotic Paperie HERE.

SCACD digital stamps for both USA and International can always be found HERE.

My project is an art journal page (that I liked so much I tore it out and matted it) using the fabulous new Steampunk Sea Turtle Pair from the Eclectic Collection 2 (also available individually).  They were stamped with Memento Ink, colored with Copics, fussy cut and popped atop a watercolor paper background created by mopping up sprays from my craft mat.  The metal swirls are supposed to be steampunky bubbles.  LOL

I used the Kelp Forest stencil (also designed by Carmen Medlin) and Modeling Paste to further build the scene.  Once the paste was dry, I replaced the stencil and sponged Distress Ink in Peeled Paint over the raised areas for color.  I've finished off with some die cut gears from Tim Holtz and Memory Box that I enhanced with Rub 'n Buff and Frantage.

Your next stop should be Nikki and if you get lost along the way, head back to the SCACD Store Blog HERE.  Happy hopping.

I'm entering this in the Simon Says Monday No Rules(ATG) Challenge and the Outlawz Twisted Thursday ATG challenge.

Special Steampunk Stamp Post for Gecko Galz

WooHoo!  The Gecko Galz are celebrating an article in the Quick Cards Made Easy Feb magazine featuring the Gecko Galz Industrial Digi stamps so we all thought it would be fun to make some projects with them.  My first project is a tag combining 2 of the stamps.  Each was cropped in my Printmaster Program and printed multiple times so I could fussy cut and and decoupage the image for maximum dimension.

The bell jar was printed on four layers of printable acetate, regular white card stock, as well as matte silver metallic card stock and fussy cut and layered.  The inside foliage was colored green in my program and I also colored and the tiny butterflies with Copics and adhered them to the layers inside.

The woman was printed 3 times on white and once on matte silver metallic and colored, cut and layered as well.  She was cropped just below the top part of her skirt to layer onto the bell jar.  The Steampunk Heart die cut is from Cheery Lynn.

The striped Design paper is from the Gecko Galz Steampunk Digital Paper pack. The die cut behind is Memory Box and I've added a number of Tim Holtz Gears and Mini Gears.

The Steampunk Butterfly is also from Cheery Lynn and the sentiment is done with Tim Holtz stickers. This project sort of wore me out, but not before making some all digital creations with the stamps as well.

Steampunk is always great for male cards, don'tcha think?  I used my Printmaster Platinum program to resize, color and layer four of the stamps here.

And finally, a little bit of Steampunk humor.  Again, all digital using 3 of the stamps and my own computer generated sentiment.  So fun and FLAT for mailing.  WooHoo!  My DT sisters had as much fun as I did working with these fabulous stamps, so be sure to check out the Gecko Galz Blog for tons of inspiration.

I'm entering my tag in the TTPH ATG#76 Challenge, A Gem of a Challenge Lots of Layers, and Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers Snarker's Choice ("S" is for Steampunk).

Happy "Owl" Hallows Eve

I seem to be in a tag mode and found some adorable Steampunk digi stamps at SCACD.  I immediately fell in love with Victorian Steampunk Owl by Carmen Medlin and thought she (or he? the owl, not Carmen  LOL) would be fun for Halloween.  The clockwork DP is from Graphic 45 Steampunk Spells.

I colored Victorian Steampunk Owl with Copics and gel pens and fussy cut and popped her atop a Memory Box Gear Assembly die.  Added round epoxy stickers to her eyes and light bulb tummy to make them shine.  I can totally see this stamp in other colorways, for various occasions, but if you'e into owls, there is a whole collection of owl digi stamps  at SCACD.

Although the Memory Box Gear Assembly is now sold out, SCACD has a bunch of fab dies,  even some exclusives, like this Steampunk Wings Pair.  Don't they make a great tag topper?   I've use my Spellbinders Postage Stamp die and  a Tim Holtz metal gear to reinforce the hole on top.  Ribbon is from my stash.

Finally, I've added a Tim Holtz monocle and attached it to the die cut with a fastener to capture the sentiment done with stickers from Authentique.  Some mini gears complete the Steampunk theme.

I'm entering my tag in the Simon Says Monday "O" is for (owl) Challenge, Crafty Sentiments Things That Start with "G" (gears) Challenge, Outlawz Twisted Thursday ATG/Favorite Technique Challenge (fussy cutting and die cuts), Papertake Weekly Superfly, the Fitztown Challenge Halloween using Digital Elements, Melonheadz Friends Lots of Layers, Marker Pop Challenge #54 Halloween, Through the Purple Haze Wings and Bling, and the Corrosive  October Halloween Challenge and the Simply Steampunk October Color Challenge Black/Cream/ and Orange.  

Debuting Victorian Lizabeth for Lacy Sunshine

Today is my Saturday to post on the Lacy Sunshine Blog as a member of the Lacy Sunshine Creative Artist Team and I'm so excited to be debuting the new Victorian Lizabeth (scroll down to get yours). I couldn't help but do something Steampunk , using the Steampunk Debutant DP's from Graphic 45.

Isn't she AMAZING?!  I've colored this beautiful gal with Copics in the rich shades of the papers.

Skin: E000, E00, E11 Lips: E04

Hair: YR14, E07, E09

Dress: BG11, BG13, BG15, BG18

She's fussy cut and popped for dimension and I've added tiny metal gears from Tim Holtz.

 

Here's a better view of the dimension.  I've popped the layers so I could add die cut gears (Tim Holtz for Sizzix) that I've rubbed with Rub'n Buff and embossed with Frantage.  I can see this new darling gal in a lovely vintage setting or even a much darker scene as well.  Can't wait to color her up again.  Look for her in the New section of the Shop.  The Lacy Sunshine Blog is different from the Challenge Blog.  There is tons of inspiration, tutorials, and news of what's new and exciting in the Lacy Sunshine world.  Hope to see you there.

I'm entering this in the Fan-tastic Tuesday Floral Challenge, the Corrosive Head Gear Challenge, Simon Says Wednesday ATG, 613 Avenue Creates ATG,  Quirky Crafts Something Beginning With "S" (Steampunk) and SanDee's and amalie's Steampunk Heavy Metal Challenge.

Aurora Wings Challenge 2

We gals at Aurora Wings were thrilled with the turnout for our very first challenge and are excited to announce Challenge 2 today.  Our theme this time is MONOCHROMATIC.

Color schemes that are derived from a single base hue, and extended using the shades, tones and tints of that hue.

I've chosen the beautiful Steampunk Girl with Doll.  She's also available with a full background HERE.  Have to say she is about the most challenging digi I've ever colored but I'm very pleased with the outcome.  I've used about every E shade of Copics I own in keeping with the Steampunk feel.  My original plan was to decoupage her a bit, but after several days of coloring, I just added a small Prima rose (colored with Copics to match) and some pearls to her hat and earrings and called her done.  She's fussy cut and popped atop one side of a story book I cut with my Cricut using the My Community cartridge.

The other side has a variety of Steampunk die cuts from Tim Holtz and Spellbinders  grunged up a bit with Distress Ink and Rub'n Buff.  the metal bits are also Tim Holtz with flowers from Petaloo and Prima.  The hand crocheted antique doily came from a collection I brought home from my Mother-in-law's who passed away on Christmas.

Here's the dimensional shot.  The ruffled zipper trim at the bottom of her dress is from Melissa Frances and I dyed some adhesive crocheted lace with Distress Ink for the final layer underneath.  The book pages were distressed on the edges and stamped with a huge Heartfelt Creations script stamp (but only the edges of it) to look like the center of the text had been cut out.  The DP's are DCWV.  It's been awhile since I've done something this involved but I'm thrilled with how it came out.  My DT Sisters all have amazing creations so please visit the Aurora Wings Challenge Blog to view their gorgeous projects and scroll down to see the fabulous winners of Challenge 1.  Hope to see you all again for our second challenge.

I'm entering this in the Simon Says Monday Big Stamp challenge (the large script stamp on the edges of the book pages), Fairytale Stampers Bingo Challenge (using lace, ribbon (the bookmark) and pearls), Crafty Catz "B" is for (brown or book), PunkYouGirl Lavish Lace, Really Reasonable Ribbon Monochrome and Ribbon, SanDee and amelie's Favorite Technique Goes Steampunk (3 dimensional shaped projects using die cuts, digis and metal bits and bobs), 613 Avenue Create ATG, Love to Create Monochromatic with a Ribbon Twist, and Left of Center ATG Dark themed, and Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers "E" is for Embellishment (couldn't miss a challenge there, even if this one isn't snarky).

Steampunk Junk Week 2 at HDH

Well, it's our second week of our Steampunk Junk Challenge at HDH and I gotta say the Minions outdid themselves.  My teamies made some fabulously creative projects and I invite you to check them out.  Be sure to go see Week One as well.  I had a bit of a tough time deciding what to do, until hubby mentioned some old goggles he had in the attic. Old googles?  WHAT old goggles?  Fortunately he was able to find them and WHOA...PERFECT!   Thought they'd look great on my Grandpa's bowler and went to work to Steampunk it all up a bit.

All I can say is God bless Tim Holtz, LOL.  I seem to have drawers of his stuff.  Just can't resisit his bits and bobs.  First I used his tattered Clock die to add a metallic piece to the front.  The hands and gear were attached to the goggles  along with metal wings and a turnkey.  I was going for "Time Flies".

 

Then I thought a jaunty plume was in order so I plucked one from my ostrich feather duster (Lord knows I don't ever actually dust with it) and I fashioned a medallion using an Ornate Plate, more gears and brads and a word band that fit the bill.  Not nearly as creative as the imaginative pieces my Minion Sisters came up with but I have to say I do love how it came out.  Only bummer is it doesn't fit.  My Grandpa must have had a pin head because it sit's on the top of my head (and even hubby's) like Stan Laurel's  (of Laurel and Hardy  LOL)

 

I am adding this to Simon Says Monday Winged Things, 613 Avenue Create ATG/Reuse, Recycle, Left of Center ATG, and Altered Eclectics ATG.